It’s a common occurrence. As Taylor Swift fans, we must endure the slander every day. Every time her name is mentioned, someone invariably says: “I like her music, but I don’t like her.”
Taylor has endured sustained criticism from the public eye for years, and in doing so, she has polarized the world. But why? Is it for her ambition, her silence, her inauthenticity? We understand there are legitimate concerns about Taylor Swift and her use of her celebrity. However, the litany of criticism about Ms. Swift, perpetuated by misinformation, unveils a troubling cultural plague.
We live in a culture of not only instant gratification but also immediate condemnation. Social media has allowed for the instantaneous harassment and violation of anyone. The court of public opinion no longer tolerates patience or nuance. It only values expedience and malice. No one knows this better than Ms. Swift.
Two summers ago, Taylor Swift was exposed by Kim Kardashian as a snake. #KimExposedTaylorParty went viral. Online culture perceived the overwhelming and vicious character assassination of Ms. Swift as a “party.” Name-calling, foul language and amoral behavior were deemed something to celebrate.
Antagonism against Swift continued. Throughout the 2016 presidential election, Swift was criticized for not utilizing her platforms and influence as a public figure to discuss political issues. Her silence automatically made her pro-Trump. She was deemed a Nazi sympathizer and white supremacist.
These criticisms are undeniable slander, and they unveil a troubling and frustrating realization about the consequences of a tech-centered society that values expediency over decency. Through the lens of social media culture, political activism is measured through tweets rather than sincere action. Our culture inappropriately places the onus of political action on highly visible acts as opposed to legitimate and meaningful contributions to civic discourse. In doing so, the result is swift criticism and an oversimplification of how action is defined. For although Taylor Swift’s activism is not highly visible, it is highly impactful. She is often cited as one of the most charitable celebrities and was featured on the cover of Time Magazine in solidarity with other sexual assault survivors.
Our society of sound bites has encouraged the defamation and molestation of Ms. Swift’s character without any acknowledgement for the misogyny that exists at its core. Ms. Swift is held to a standard her male peers are not. It is inherently sexist to expect a female music artist to utilize her platforms for social change when the same is not expected from men. She is not allowed the luxury to be solely a musician. Swift must constantly adhere to archaic gender expectations of women — to be grateful and attribute their success to luck rather than hard work. When she strays from these expectations and dares to express her ambition and drive, she is met with the vicious and pernicious wrath of the internet. This is the unfortunate reality of a world where #KimExposedTaylorParty becomes a viral celebration of human beings harming one another.
Two years after Taylor Swift was denounced as a snake, we attended her reputation Stadium World Tour. We watched in awe as giant, 70-feet tall inflatable snakes rose from the ground and towered over the audience. Much like those snakes, Ms. Swift has risen above the hate and judgment that consume our culture. Swift has poetically embraced the snake symbol unfairly imposed upon her. She found empowerment in her public shaming. Not only is that admirable, it’s something actually worth celebrating.
